The Atlanta Braves try to push their winning streak to six games on Monday when they begin a three-game set with the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
The Braves have received tremendous pitching of late, as they opened their streak with three consecutive shutouts and have pitched to an 0.98 ERA in their last five games.It was more of the same on Sunday, as Atlanta finished off a three-game sweep of the Mets, taking the finale, 3-2, in 10 innings. The Braves captured the win when Martin Prado scored on Brian McCann's sacrifice fly.Prado singled off Bobby Parnell (4-4) to begin the 10th and advanced to second base on a groundout. Parnell then intentionally walked Freddie Freeman before Dan Uggla worked another free pass to load the bases. McCann followed with a fly ball to right field, plating Prado.The Mets put men on the corners in the bottom of the 10th, but Peter Moylan got David Wright to fly out to right to end the game and notch his first save of the season.McCann also belted a solo home run for the NL wild card-leading Braves, who have won five games in a row. Atlanta starting pitcher Tommy Hanson allowed two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Craig Kimbrel (1-1) picked up the win after stranding a runner in scoring position in the ninth."We're taking no game lightly, no lead lightly," McCann said.On Monday the Braves will turn to lefty Mike Minor, who was absolutely brilliant his last time out. Minor allowed just one hit over seven scoreless innings to beat Colorado and improve to 8-10, while lowering his ERA to 4.58.Minor beat the Brewers the last time he faced them, surrendering just two hits and an unearned run in 7 1/3 innings. He is 1-1 in two starts against them with a 3.86 ERA.Milwaukee, meanwhile, enters tonight's matchup six games back of the second wild card spot after taking two of three from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers, though, were denied a sweep, as they dropped a 5-4 decision in 10 innings on Sunday.Norichika Aoki tallied two hits, including a game-tying, two-out, two-run homer in the ninth off of Jason Motte for the Brewers, who lost for only the second time in their last six games."To battle back, certainly going into the last inning against one of the best closers in the game and we get two runs off him to tie it, that's resiliency," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said.To make matters worse, first baseman Corey Hart (ankle) and left fielder Ryan Braun (wrist) both left with injuries and are questionable for tonight's contest.Taking the ball for Milwaukee in Monday's opener will be righty Wily Peralta, who is 1-0 with a 5.14 ERA. Peralta won his first major league start on Wednesday in Miami, as he held the Marlins to three runs and five hits in six innings.Atlanta swept a three-game set from the Brewers earlier in the year and has won the last seven games in the series.
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